Qatar National Library (QNL) recently hosted the International Federation of Library Associations’ (IFLA) International Advocacy Programme (IAP) regional workshop for the Middle East and North Africa (Mena).
Attended by representatives from the public library sector and library associations in the Mena region, the event was the sixth in a series of six regional workshops held across Africa, Asia Oceania, Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean.
IAP is a new capacity-building programme to raise the level of awareness among information service professionals on the role libraries can play in the planning and implementation of the United Nation’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals.
Dr Sohair Wastawy, executive director, QNL, said, "We are proud to host this IFLA event after QNL successfully held the 48th Metropolitan Libraries Conference last April. This reflects the firm and productive partnership between our two organisations and strengthens Qatar's presence in the global library and information services sector."
IFLA secretary general, Gerald Leitner, stressed, “If a country wants to achieve the United Nations 2030 agenda, this will not be possible without libraries.We need to bring this to the attention of policymakers and the United Nations. IFLA will support countries across the globe in achieving this.”
“A total of 72 countries have signed agreements with IFLA to start doing activities about libraries. No other organisations have done this before. We believe that a success story for a global organisation like IFLA is only possible with a mix of activities on a global and on a national level,” he added.
Through the IAP, IFLA aims to establish a community of advocates who will clearly articulate, at national and regional levels, the important role libraries play in development by contributing to the UN 2030 agenda.
